Kiffin maintains sense of mystery around USC

Tre Madden, a former Mission Viejo High star, figures to play, and might start, at tailback for USC in its opener Thursday at Hawaii. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE REGISTER

LOS ANGELES – A USC team riddled with questions will finally get some answers on Thursday night when the Trojans take the field against Hawaii.

Coach Lane Kiffin was tight-lipped after practice on Tuesday when asked which players would be starting and which players would be making the trip.

“We’re not going to get into our whole roster and who’s going and the health of all of them,” Kiffin said.

Tuesday’s practice focused on “alignments and assignments” with no speed or physical work “to make sure we don’t have any more guys get hurt,” Kiffin said.

“I feel confident in the guys that are going to play. I feel like we’re in Week 9 or Week 10, where you really have to figure things out because of injury. … All these injuries have given other people opportunities to step up.”

Kiffin said the staff still did not know who would be starting at tailback in place of Silas Redd, who is recovering from a meniscus tear last spring and will not be traveling with the team. Sophomore Tre Madden and freshman Justin Davis are expected to play, though neither has recorded a carry at the college level. If Davis earns the start, he would be the second true freshman in Trojans history to start the opener at running back after C.J. Gable in 2006.

Su’a Cravens, another true freshman, was also named to start at safety.

Kiffin confirmed his announcement earlier this week that quarterbacks Cody Kessler and Max Wittek would both play against Hawaii, though he refused to answer who would start.

“I’m not going to tell you the end of the movie before you go to it, right? Now you have to watch,” Kiffin said.

Apparently the rest of the team received the same silent treatment on the subject.

“The receivers’ job is to line up and do their job, not worry about who their quarterback is,” Kiffin said. “We don’t go making big announcements in the team room about what we’re doing at right corner. It’s no different.”

Kiffin said the play-calling would not differ depending upon which quarterback was in the game.

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